Guest Review – First Rider’s Call

Karigan, who took on the mantle of king’s messenger after chancing upon a dying Green Rider, has returned to her everyday life. She has put the thrills and perils of being caught up in great events apparently behind her. But few may evade their destiny, and Karigan is soon to face even greater dangers… Blackveil Forest is stirring, its tainted powers seeping through the breach in the D’Yer wall. While havoc sweeps the countryside, a Green Rider and scion of the stoneworkers who created the wall, attempts to mend the breach. Summoned to duty by the call of the First Rider, Karigan must help the Riders, and face the truth about her own savage heritage. Sought by undead warriors and caught in the machinations of the mysterious Eletians, Karigan must confront an ancient enemy in the rotten heart of Blackveil.

First Rider’s Call, the second book in Kristen Britain’s Green Rider series, can be summed up with one word. Betrayal. I’m not the most sopisticated reader ever. I tend to read only for enjoyment, but this one I actually caught the thread in. I’m not even sure I can count the number of different betrayals (or seeming betrayals) that occurred in this story; I certainly can’t do it on only one hand.

For the record, I should mention that in no way did I, as the reader, feel betrayed. Quite the opposite actually, this novel provides so much quality, character insights, and exciting happenings that I can’t even describe how happy it makes me. Or how sad I was when I finished (sort of, the ending was fantastic, which is fortunate for those unfortunate souls who had to wait years for the next book)! Fortunately for me, I had the next one on hand to start reading once I finished this one! 😉

The funny thing about betrayal is that it can often lead to hope and happiness and lots of other great things. Sounds weird, I know, but if you read this novel, you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

And that Karigan. She’s impulsive surely, but as Captain Mapstone once thinks, leaders of the Green Riders need to have flexibility in their thinking. And Karigan’s got that in spades. She thinks out of the box and takes advantage of crazy things without thinking twice. This is the second time I read this book and I was completely surprised by her solution for the second time. Totally didn’t see it coming. (Of course, it doesn’t help that I hadn’t remembered how it finished since it’s been so long since that first read through!)

My only disappointment is that Karigan’s dad didn’t play a direct role in this novel. He’s mentioned, but that’s not the same at all. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll get over it. 😉